Senior Project Associate (LMI)
Organizational Context
IOM Ethiopia's Migration Management and Government (MMG) Unit addresses migration governance, promoting rights. It includes Coordination and Capacity Development, Immigration and Border Governance, and Labor Mobility and Social Inclusion (LMI). The LMI program guides labor and human mobility, integration, social cohesion, and diaspora engagement for sustainable development. This Senior Project Officer (LMI) role supports strategic, technical, and operational coordination of LMI projects, focusing on economic empowerment and diaspora initiatives, under the Senior Programme Officer - Migration Management and Governance and National Programme Officer (LMI).
Job Purpose
The Senior Project Officer (LMI) supports the strategic, technical, and operational coordination of Labor Mobility and Social Inclusion projects in Ethiopia. A primary focus is on economic empowerment for target populations and diaspora-related initiatives, contributing to sustainable development and poverty reduction, with support for complementary initiatives within the wider LMI portfolio. The role involves close collaboration with government, public, private stakeholders, and civil society organizations. The incumbent serves as a senior coordination and oversight focal point for complex project components, including legal and policy frameworks, standard operating procedures, technical working groups, inter-agency coordination, capacity-building, and institutional engagement with national counterparts. This position contributes significantly to developing the diaspora portfolio, ensuring strategic coherence, implementation quality, and alignment with national priorities, donor requirements, and IOM standards, providing essential technical and operational coordination support.
Responsibilities
The incumbent independently coordinates the implementation of diaspora engagement projects, monitoring activities to ensure adherence to plans, analyzing difficulties, and recommending adjustments. This includes regularly researching, compiling, analyzing, and presenting information on national, regional, and international developments, reports, and legislation. The role involves monitoring budget expenditures, verifying fund availability, and maintaining records, while coordinating financial, administrative, and technical aspects of projects in line with IOM policies and donor requirements. Key duties also include planning, coordinating, and conducting capacity-building workshops for internal and external parties, participating in meetings, and maintaining effective liaison with local authorities, partners, UN agencies, and other stakeholders. Furthermore, the Senior Project Officer coordinates the preparation of correspondence, briefing notes, presentations, and narrative/financial reports, ensuring timely submission. Identifying and documenting good practices and lessons learned, and contributing to the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), policies, and concept papers for new projects are also essential functions.
Work Experience
Required experience includes proven work in strategic policy and legal development concerning migration matters, and institutional capacity development activities. The role demands experience in liaising with governmental authorities, national/international institutions, United Nations agencies, and non-governmental organizations. Prior experience working with migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons, and diaspora is essential, as is work experience with international humanitarian organizations, non-government, or government institutions in a multi-cultural setting.
Skills
Key skills include in-depth knowledge of migration-related subjects, specifically labour mobility, ethical recruitment, and diaspora engagement. Knowledge of labour migration and migration-development programming is essential. The role requires strong research, data compilation, analysis, and presentation skills, alongside the ability to analyze migration policies, legislation, and regulatory frameworks. Knowledge of financial rules and regulations, and UN and bilateral donor programming is also necessary.